e Grand Plaza was
s he had managed to salvage from the mansion before the bank changed the locks-and it felt too tight. He
ulture hoping for a scrap. He checked his watch. He had five minutes to figure out how
quartet sto
gaze of the hundred or so people in the room. They were all look
descending
in of her bare shoulders. A heavy sapphire necklace caught the light, but it was he
it the thick carpet with a dull thud, spilling expensive sco
as E
had thrown out three years ago. That Elena had been quiet. She wore simpl
wept up, exposing the sharp line of her jaw. Her eyes were co
he CEO of A
air out of his lungs. She hadn't just survived with
think. He
urmurs of the elite. He reached the bottom of the stairs ju
is voice cracked. I
n slowly raised her eyes to his face. There was no anger i
smooth, carrying a hint of a polish
'd been slapped. "I
rom his grip. "Mr. Blackwood. My
umbling out too fast. "About Aethelgard. About th
ed. She tilted her head slightly. "Ask
. Just give me
s a luxury you can no long
e had the easy, relaxed posture of someone who had never worried about money a day in his
d. His voice was low and warm, but his
ena said, offering the man a small sm
ed. He wanted to punch the man, to rip his hand off Elena's back. But h
Julian turned and gestured
the hand of a small boy. He was wearing a tiny, th
pulling away from the n
ze. The ro
ght past Damian, completely ignori
said, reaching
oy into his arms. He settled the child on his
ared at the boy. At the dark h
his head, resting his ch
ht ear, was a small, red,
ark. He had stared at it in
ed the edge of a nearby tabl
was pre
en pregnant when he threw her out. She had given birth alon
e was ashen, his eyes wide and ple
undisguised hatred burned in her eyes. It was there for only a second befor
tween Damian a
carried in the sudden hush of the ballroom. "And as fa
d her bac
steady. "Have security escort Mr. Blac
n dark suits. They appeared instan
as they dragged him backward.
e exit, her heels clicking against the marble, h
*
/1/133847/coverbig.jpg?v=ef4cb768cfce1f6c6e93bb748f4f082a&imageMogr2/format/webp)